


there couldn't be one without the other

by witchee_writer



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Hopeful Ending, Hurt, Implied Relationships, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:55:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28730016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchee_writer/pseuds/witchee_writer
Summary: Tony reflects on everything that happened with Steve, on everything that went wrong and the mistakes he made. In retrospect, he probably should have known better then to try and get in between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark
Kudos: 21





	there couldn't be one without the other

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what this is, but I had an idea and I rolled with it. I couldn't stop myself, it just happened. I hope you enjoy! There might be a few mistakes in there, I always miss a few, sorry about that.

Looking back on it, maybe Tony should have known that Cap would never give up his "friend". He used that word a lot, "friend", Tony wasn't convinced that was all it was. How could it be? Friends, best friends, those words couldn't possibly justify the relationship between those two. Steve was prepared to go to war for Barnes. He could say it was for their freedom or because he didn't trust the government to make the right decisions, but the main factor was Barnes. Tony wasn't an idiot, he knew that he and Steve had their differences, but at the end of the day, he still would have called him a friend. 

But Steve never even hesitated putting himself between Tony and the Winter Soldier, it was hardly even a decision. 

And it wasn't that Tony didn't understand, _he did_. If it had been Pepper that had been on the run, if it had been Pepper that had been brainwashed, Tony would have done anything to save her. Steve was a man out of his time, Bucky was all he had left. Hell, Bucky was all he'd had for most of his life. Tony knew the history, knew they had grown up together, lived together, Bucky doing all that he could to keep his friend alive when the odds had always been against him. The roles between them had changed, but it was still the same story. Steve had already defied military orders for Barnes once, he had crossed enemy lines alone just in the hope that his best friend would be alive to rescue. Why did any of them think that this time would be any different? 

Captain America would sooner die then let anything happen to Bucky Barnes. 

If they were good friends, if they were a good team, maybe they would have sat down and looked at the cold, hard facts, _maybe_ it wouldn't have had to have come to all this. It didn't change what the Winter Soldier had done and Tony wasn't anywhere near ready to see Barnes in the future but Steve was right, it hadn't been him, not really. He had seen what Clint had been like brainwashed, he had read Natasha's file, knew the kind of things she had done, Barnes had been under HYDRA control for _decades_. What hope did he have to defect on his own? To defy direct orders? There was a reason they kept him on ice, he was easier to control that way. His brains were scrambled and still he and Steve fought together like a well-oiled machine. It was so easy for them, it was second nature. They attacked, they defended, all the while watching the other's back. Tony wasn't even sure how much of Steve that Barnes remembered, but it was clear that it was enough. 

They had their silent conversations, their sad, guilty, understanding eyes staring at one another like they said everything that needed to be said. 

Tony scoffed to himself, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, and Steve still used the word "friend". It was ridiculous, they were utterly ridiculous, weren't they? If they were on better terms, Tony might have called him out on it. But they weren't on better terms, Tony hadn't heard from Steve since he'd sent the letter and the phone. Last he heard, Barnes had gone back under. Tony wondered how Steve was coping, whether he was doing what he did best and putting on that brave face he thought the world wanted to see. Maybe if Tony called, offered to help Barnes get his brain back- he wasn't sure what he could do, brains were beyond him but maybe he could do something about the arm at least. He was the one that had destroyed the other one in the first place. All he had to do was make the call, put the olive branch out there. 

They had been a team once, all of them. They could be again, maybe. If it was going to happen, it was going to have to start with Tony and Steve. 

But Tony wasn't ready to see Barnes yet, even knowing that it wasn't his fault. He just wasn't, no matter how tempting it was. At least they had each other. Barnes might have been on ice again, but Steve had to be a little comforted knowing that he was safe, that he was in good hands, that he wasn't being hurt. Tony vaguely wondered if it came down to it, if Steve had to make a choice between Bucky Barnes and Peggy Carter, who he would choose. It would be cruel to ask, but he still wondered. Tony was fairly certain he knew the answer, everyone did, except maybe Barnes himself. 

It would be Bucky- it would always be Bucky. 

If Steve knew that he was alive, that HYDRA had him back during World War II, would he still have flown that plane into the ocean? Or would Steve have found some way out, clawed his way back to the world just so that he could save his "best friend". Again, Tony was pretty sure he knew the answer. The events of a few months ago spelled that out pretty clear for all of them. 

There was no Steve Rogers without Bucky Barnes, and there was no Bucky Barnes without Steve Rogers. 

Tony was a fool to think, for even a moment, that he could go against that. That they could just bring Barnes in to be dealt with by the government and that would just be it. Steve would give up, they would all sign the Accords and that would be it. As soon as Barnes became involved he should have changed the plan, he should have known, but he stuck to his guns and look where it got all of them. 

Divided, weakened. 

He didn't know where Steve was now, what he was doing, it didn't really matter. Even if something did happen that Tony had to call him back in, would it be so easy to act like a team again with all of this over their heads? Maybe he wasn't ready to see Barnes but that didn't mean he couldn't do something. Steve had made an effort to talk to him, the least Tony could do was make the effort back. One day, the world would need them all again and on that day, they had to be a team. 

Tony stared at the phone. He could have found a way to trace it if he really wanted too. It was old, nondescript, it wouldn't be easy but that was the point. What would he even say? Would he make a joke or be serious? He hated being serious. It was exhausting, it wasn't him. Steve would probably think something was wrong if Tony didn't sound like himself at least. 

His fingers brushed over the keypad, hesitantly. Tony could tell him that Rhodey was recovering well, that he'd adjusted to his new situation with relative ease but he probably already knew that. Tony wasn't the only one with contacts, Steve could find out whatever he wanted. No, this was meant to be the olive branch, or an olive at least, maybe not a branch. 

He typed without thinking, pressed send without giving himself enough time to back out. It was done now, there was no taking it back. 

_'This isn't an emergency call, this isn't me asking you to come in, I just thought you should know that I don't blame you. You fought for the only thing you have left and who am I to judge? If it came down to the people I cared about, I would do whatever I had too. I get it, Cap. Really, I do. Who wouldn't? You look at Mr. Freeze like he's the damn sun, like nothing else matters. I know that look, man. Do you? Or are you guys still just "friends". Hey, no judgement here, you know that right? Is this one of those things where you're both in denial and will admit nothing cause for a guy whose brain is mush, he looks at you the same way just on instinct. You're in a different time, Old Man, maybe you should make the most of it? And let me be clear, I don't forgive him, not yet. I don't forgive you either, for keeping it from me. But I get it, and I know it wasn't Bucky Barnes that killed my parents. Look, point is, you still have a place here when the time comes. There might even be room for your Russian boyfriend.'_

Tony didn't expect a reply, he wasn't looking for one. He just felt like he had to say something, he had to lighten the heavy feeling in his chest just that little bit. Steve was too polite to leave it at that though, maybe Tony should have known that too. It was something else to add to the list, he supposed. 

_'He's not my boyfriend.'_

Tony rolled his eyes, a smile pulling at his lips. It was still far too quiet in the Compound with so many people missing, but it gave Tony some hope that one day things would go back to normal. 

_'Not yet, Capsicle.'_

It would take time to heal, most wounds did but one day, one day things would be okay. He wondered if Rhodey was oblivious enough to take the bet that Steve and Bucky _wouldn't_ end up together. Tony could make some easy money if he played this right, because he was one hundred percent certain that one day Steve would announce he was in a relationship with his best friend. 

It was only a matter of time.

He was wrong about a lot of things, but not this. If he knew Pepper at all, she had probably already taken note of it and planned out a contingency for every scenario of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes coming out. Pepper always had a plan for everything. He missed her, he missed her more than anything. Even when he hadn't had any friends (aside from Rhodey and Happy), he had always had Pepper. He'd messed that up too, Tony had been on a hell of a streak lately. 

Maybe he should call her- no one could know what the future held for them, but if Steve and Bucky had taught him anything, it was to cherish every moment he had with the people he loved. There was no one he loved more then Pepper Potts. He couldn't let her get away, he wouldn't. Tony wouldn't mess this relationship up. He had messed up almost every other relationship he had, but he wouldn't let it happen with this one. 

It was far too important. 

Pepper answered the phone on the third ring and Tony let out a sigh of relief. 

There was hope for him yet. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
